The present invention is related to water shut-off valves for domestic and commercial settings and particularly to a water shut-off valve that is periodically manipulated to prevent failure thereof.
It is known to provide automatic water shut-off valves that have the ability to sense a water leak or accumulation of water and automatically close the valve so as to prevent further leakage and damage. For example, see the disclosures found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,771,920 and 5,794,653 as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/416,132. Further, disclosed therein is a teaching that both small trickle leaks and catastrophic leaks may be sensed and the shut-off valve actuated. Still further, disclosed therein is a controller that may be programmed to call a monitoring service or an attendant, and/or be programmed for home and away modes. An active mode assumes normal water use conditions and does not shut off for detected water flow events such as a shower running or the like. An away mode is a tighter threshold that will allow small water flow conditions such as when a toilet is refilled to compensate for evaporation or automatic ice making devices, but not for sustaining trickle leaks, burst washing machine hoses, showers or the like. Such modes may be particularly useful for vacation homes where occupants are sporadic and leak detection and shut-off are needed more than in an occupied house where a resident may detect and deal with the leak.
While these products and many others do exist in the field of water shut-off valves, there remains a problem in that the valves may fail when called upon to close. Many rural and municipal water systems have some degree of particulate matter suspended therein. This matter may gum up the valve preventing closure at the desired time. Further, many water systems convey water with chemicals disposed therein. Over time, these chemicals may corrode or damage the mechanism of the shut-off valve. Corrosion, just as much as the suspended matter, may clog the valve, preventing closure at the desired time.
The present invention comprises a controller that periodically exercises the shut-off valve so as to prevent or minimize the accumulation of valve clogging matter or corrosion, or simply from time to time break up matter that might tend to cause the valve to clog. In one embodiment, the shut-off valve is exercised during away periods so as to not disrupt normal operation of the water system serving the building. In another embodiment, the shut-off valve is exercised during non-peak use times. In still a third embodiment, the valve may be exercised upon a manual trigger event. Additionally, the shut-off valve may be exercised in other ways.